Municipalities debate the universal value of European Steel Bridges of Large Arch

European Municipalities from Germany, France, and Italy join Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in the II World Heritage Congress - Steel Bridges of Large Arch, which will run from 22 to 23 June at Mercado Ferreira Borges.

Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia play host to this congress, the second of its kind, to prepare the Tentative List to recognising the outstanding universal value of Steel Bridges of large arch and thus be included in the World Heritage List. The first congress took place in October 2017 in Solingen.

Bridges are undisputed symbols of cities and have always played an important role in the history of human settlement, defining cities and economic development.

Porto and Gaia, take part in this application with the Maria Pia (1877) and Luiz I (1886) bridges. This application also includes the bridges of Garabit (1884, Ruynes-en-Margeride, in France), San Michele (1889, Paderno d'Adda, in Italy) and Mungsten (1897, Solingen, Germany).

As Gustave Eiffel put it: "the first principle of architectural beauty is that the essential lines of a construction be determined by a perfect appropriateness to its use".

This congress will debate not only the engineering of bridges but also their arch design and steel material, by illustrating the history of each bridge building, and encouraging their preservation.

See here the full programme.